Published online Feb 10, 2016. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v7.i3.34
Peer-review started: August 3, 2015
First decision: October 13, 2015
Revised: December 14, 2015
Accepted: December 29, 2015
Article in press: January 4, 2016
Published online: February 10, 2016
Core tip: At global level the phenomenon of migration of people is not expected to slow down in the next years, generating a multitude of clinical problems and economic costs for the National Health System. The increasing burden of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes, in migrant minority populations is today a major public health challenge for several countries, mainly in Europe, fuelled by the economic crisis, inequalities, terrorism and wars. Even in a universalistic healthcare system, differences in socioeconomic status and barriers generated by the present culture of biomedicine might make high-risk ethnic minorities under-treated and not protected against inequalities. Our objective is to pinpoint the problems arising in the prevention and treatment of diabetes on a worldwide scale, aiming to give support to healthcare systems in the provision of effective interventions.